Clothes-tongs.



E. w. LAMMERS. CLOTHES TONGS.

(Application filed Jan. 25, 1901.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PAT NT OFFICE;

ENGELINAWESSELINA LAMMERS, OF FORESTGROVE, MICHIGAN.

.CLOTHES-TONGS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 689,731, dated December 24, 1901.

Application filed January 25 1901. Serial No. 44,732. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ENGELINA WESSELINA LAMMERS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Forestgrove, in the county of Ottawa and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful'Clothes-Tongs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to clothes-tongs, and has for its object toprovide an improved device of this character which is arranged for convenience in lifting clothing from a boiler and also for stirring the contents of the latter. It is furthermore designed to arrange the implement so as to firmly grip the articles of clothing withoutexposing the hands to direct contact either with the hot clothing or the boiling water and also to facilitate the manipulation of the implement by one hand.

' With these and other objects in view the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings,and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes in the form ,proportion, size, and minor details may be made within the. scope of the claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the ad vantages of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a clothes-tongs embodying the pres ent invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Like characters of reference designate corresponding parts in all of the figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that the present device comprises a pair of duplicate jaw members 1 and 2, each of which is formed from a single strip of wood that is fiat upon its inner face and rounded or convexed upon its outer side, as best shown in Fig. I of the drawings. Also the members taper slightly from their corresponding buttends, which are connected by means ofa suitable hinge or pivotal connection 3, whereby the jaws or members are designed to be opened and closed in the manner of a pair of tongs.

For convenience in manipulating the tongs there is provided a longitudinally-disposed substantially U -shaped guard 4, which is preferably formed from a single strip of Wire bent into a loop, with its opposite ends connected to one of the members, adjacent to the hinged end thereof and located upon the outer sideof the member for the reception of the tips of the fingers, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

Slightly in advance of the guard there is provided a guide and brace-loop 5, formed of wire and embracing both members. Adjacent to one end of the loop the opposite sides thereof are bent outwardly in opposite directions, as at 6, so as to form recesses or seats for the tight or snug reception of the opposite edges of the jaw member 1, for the purpose of fixedly connecting the loop to the said member. By this arrangement one end portion 7 of the loop is projected at the outer side of thejaw member 1 for the reception of the thumb, while the opposite longer portion slidably embraces the other member 2, so that the two members may be opened and closed by manipulationof the thumb and fingers, the loop being designed to brace the jaw members and take lateral strain from the hinged connection thereof. To insure free play of the loop upon the member 2, the opposite edges of the latter are notched or cut away, as at 8, for the reception of the respective sides of the loop,- or, in other words, the member is made slightly narrower at this point to slide easily within the loop.

In using the device the jaws may be brought together, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig.

2 of the drawings,- so as to form a stick for stirring the contents of a wash=boiler, and also the jaws may be manipulated to grip one or more articles of clothing to lift the same out of a boiler without wetting or scalding the hands by the clothes or the boiling water. The jaws being of wood and of suitable length, the implement. is comparatively light and at the same time durable and the metallic parts are not in position for contact with the-clothing, so that the latter are not liable to' become rusted from the implement.

What is claimed is-- 1. A clothes-tongs, comprising a pair of jaws, which are pivotally connected at corresponding ends, a longitudinal finger-loop carried externally by one of the jaws, and a guide and brace-loop embracing both jaws,

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fixedly connected to one of the jaws, and also projecting externally thereof to form a transverse thumb-loop.

2. A clothes-tongs, comprising a pair of comparatively long and narrow wooden jaws, a hinged or pivotal connection at corresponding ends thereof, a longitudinal finger-loop carried externally by one of the jaws and adjacent to the pivotal or hinged end thereof, and a loop-shaped guide and brace embracing both jaws and located in front of and adjacent to the finger-loop, one end portion of the loop slidably embracing the jaw having the finger-loop, and its opposite end portion nor- ENGELINA WESSELlNA LA MMERS.

Witnesses:

A. V. Z. POPPEN, I-I. IIULST. 

